To celebrate the repeal of Prohibition, here's a cocktail inspired by the Sinclair Lewis novel Babbitt. more ›

We recently visited Randolph Street's PorkChop, a restaurant and bar that bills itself as a late-night spot serving "gourmet comfort food." Here are some of PorkChop's more popular dishes, served up hot here on Chicagoist as a feast for your eyes. more ›

Back off, red hair enthusiasts. We’re talking about real fresh ginger today. If your regular steak marinade or seasoning is boring you, we have your cure right here, lover. This ginger and whiskey marinade goes especially well on steak, but could be used on poultry or other meats too. Control the heat by adding more or less jalapeno to your taste. more ›

On September 1, Big Jones will be starting up the Big Jones Bourbon Society. If you're a fan of brown spirits, overindulgence and small booklets, this is the ideal society for you. Members get a passport with 40 different whiskeys on it. If you taste them all, you get a big prize. more ›

Koval only produced 166 bottles of its first four-grain, overproof whiskey. more ›

Chicago-area whiskey enthusiasts have one more local option to explore, now that Great Lakes Distillery's Kinnickinnic Whiskey is being sold at Binny's Chicagoland locations and through its online store. This according to a tweet sent out yesterday by the Milwaukee-based distillery. more ›

- The former Pump Room may be getting a new name. The new owner of the Ambassador East, Ian Schrager, has announced that the public will get to decide on the new name. The Sun-Times reports that the name will either be "The Pump Room" or "Gold Coast Kitchen," possibly the least inspiring name ever. We vote for Pump Room - keep the icon alive - and you can too. Votes will be taken online until June 22, at which time the name will be chosen. more ›

Bad news first: tickets to the Chicago edition of Malt Advocate magazine's annual WhiskyFest, which takes place tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency, are sold out. Now to the good news: whisk(e)y lovers of all stripes, including those who didn't get around to buying their WhiskyFest tickets, have numerous opportunities over the coming days to get in on the interesting tastings, pairing dinners, product launches and previews, and general brown-booze-colored revelry that make up the ancillary festivities known as WhiskyWeek. more ›

Will 2011 be Bourbon's year? We sure hope so. Big Star, for one, is doing its part to make that happen with exciting recent and upcoming additions to its single-barrel Bourbon program. Paul Kahan hinted at the arrival of freshly acquired barrels on Twitter last week, so we caught up with Michael Rubel, beverage director of Big Star (and neighboring Violet Hour), to find out what we should be sipping on our next visit. Rubel has been building Big Star's stockpile of exclusive Bourbons, bottled from barrels he hand-picked in Kentucky, for more than a year. Six barrels' worth are already available, and the contents of two more will hit the shelves this week and (probably) next. more ›

If you haven't gotten a chance to check out Lakeview gastropub newcomer Blokes and Birds, two new specials announced last week may convince you to stop in. Starting last week (and extending indefiniitely), Tuesdays and Wednesdays are now that best time to stop in, since some great dining deals will be warming away your winter chill. more ›

If there was one spot in Chicago where we would chose to pair food with our weekly dose of bourbon, it would be The Gage. They have put together an awesome menu focused on the classic American spirit, including new appetizers, entrees, bourbon flights and cocktails. The special Bourbon Week menu will be available from the 14th - 22nd of November. more ›

Last Thursday I was a judge at Sable Kitchen & Bar's "Bottle Battle: Whiskey vs. Wines" dinner pairing between head bartender Mike Ryan and Master Sommelier Emily Wines. It was that rare dinner event in that the pairings from both Wines and Ryan were well-rounded selections for enjoyment with food and without. more ›

Between Head Bartender Mike Ryan and Master Sommelier Emily Wines, Sable Kitchen & Bar knows both the perfect whiskey and wine to pair with the food of chef Heather Terhune. But who knows best? more ›

We heart Neko in a big, big way. Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood are two albums we never grow tired of spinning and we decided the smart-and-sultry chanteuse deserves a cocktail of her own. We figured it ought to have bourbon in it. High-proof bourbon. After fiddling with various components in various proportions, the end result was ... more ›

The guys behind the Empty Bottle, Mode Carpentry and Struggle Inc. have come together for a new project: Longman & Eagle, a cozy tavern and inn in Logan Square which opened its doors just Wednesday. From the outside, it looks like any old dive bar, and it’s so dark and secluded you might not even know it’s open. But inside, it’s actually warm, inviting and buzzing with friendly locals. Decked with dark wood and softly lit by candle, it’s got an old-timey, Americana feel like a traditional Chicago tavern. more ›

Faith and Whiskey invites you to stop in tonight from 7 - 9 for an informative, free discussion (read: SAMPLES!) of Knob Creek, Canadian Club, and Laphroaig to learn more about the differences between bourbon, whiskey, and scotch. Experts will be on hand to guide you through the tasting and provide some history and education on these spirits. RSVP: 773.248.9119 or greatwhiskeydebate@gmail.com. more ›

That's what some of us will be by the end of the day, no doubt. Might as well get there pleasantly. And that means avoiding the stupid green beer -- or anything else that looks like the slime mold from Swamp Thing. Instead, try some nice Irish whiskey with a goodly portion of lime juice. To be honest, the Suffering Bastard is really more of a summertime drink. But since it's so gorgeous out there today, what's the harm in having a little wishful thinking? more ›

Our Ideal Manhattan, the end result of trial and error over the years, balances power with a soft finish. And it's pretty darn easy to make. more ›

If you haven’t made it to The Gage yet, start walking right now. Open for about a year and half, this Michigan Avenue gastropub has garnered so many accolades for its food and atmosphere that it would be pointless to pile on one more. Suffice it to say, we like the place a lot. Today, we’re concerned specifically with the cocktail offerings at the Gage. Do they live up to the food and the hype? more ›

Well, the hits just kept on coming for one Mr. Christopher T. Turner of South Carolina. Last February, he checked into the Drake, where he was staying while on a business trip. He decided to have a little whiskey from the minibar, but when he drank the mini bottle of Dewar's White Label Scotch Whiskey, he says it tasted like urine. more ›

For all you whiskey buffs out there, now you can vote on your favorite brands of the past year, as well as your favorite and most hated marketing campaigns, at the 2007 Drammies. more ›